First described by Boccaccio in his Decamerone, gnocchi are considered the first type of pasta ever made: a mixture of flour and water (the flour from wheat, millet, farro) shaped into round dumplings that were then cooked in boiling water.
The best-known version, made with potatoes, is fairly recent in historical terms, since potatoes did not become common in Italy until the 1800s. Gnocchi made with other main ingredients are common, like the small Sardinian malloreddus, made with semolina flour, knödel, made with bread that is a day or two old, and gnocchi di ricotta.
The strange-sounding word gnocchi traces its origin to the Latin term nucleus, from which nocchio, meaning gnarl, derived. In the dialect of the region around Venice nocchio became gnoco and from there it was an easy transition to gnocco and its plural gnocchi.
Potato gnocchi take time to make, but the result is well worth the effort. I described my recipe (derived by my mother’s) in this article.
Update: this post describes potato gnocchi made with purple potatoes.
Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:
or launch the gnocchi audio file [mp3].
[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]
Gnocchi~ I love this ! Took me a long time to learn how to say this word! Your recipe looked absolutely delicious-would enjoy eating some of your mothers homemade version!
I know, it is a tricky word to pronounce. My husband loves to teach people to do it. I am aware that potato gnocchi are sold in packages, but I have never tried them. Freshly-made gnocchi are a delicious reward for the time investment you need to make to prepare them.
I’ve always wanted to make gnocchi. I have a nice recipe saved. I’m also saving your mother’s recipe, as well. Thanks!
Paz
Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog so that I could find yours. I loved your blog! I’ll put it on mine. I was looking for a gnocchi recipe, now I found one. Thank you!
Thanks for visiting! I am in the process of adding audio to all my posts so visitors will know how words and expressions are pronounced, including tricky gnocchi.
finally, I’ll be able to say “gnocchi” without hesitation 🙂
Do you have any tips for making potato gnocchi for the first time?
I’m pretty adept in the kitchen but I’ve never attempted gnocchi before. My girlfriend is coming over for dinner for her birthday and I found a delicious looking potato and porchini gnocchi recipe. Do you have any gnocchi tips to help make sure all goes well?
Oh, and can I make the gnocchi tonight and refrigerate until tomorrow night?
I guess my tip would be to make a test run beforehand, without the pressure of performing for your friend. I have never refrigerated gnocchi overnight, so I don’t know if there are things you need to be aware of in that respect. You may want to make sure that they don’t dry out nor get wet. I have always used my mother’s recipe to make potato gnocchi, which is detailed in this article (also referenced in the post). You can either boil or bake the russet potatoes (i.e., potatoes that have a low water contents). Peel them soon after they are cooked and mash them, then let them cool before you start adding the flour (not too much of it). Good luck!